Chicken Paillard Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

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Becky Hardin

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Chicken Paillard is a healthy dinner recipe that’s so very easy to prepare! Chicken breasts are butterflied and tenderized to accomplish the best shape, then marinated in a delicious medley of white wine, lemon juice, garlic and more. It’s then pan seared to perfection and served over a leafy green salad!

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Table of Contents

Why we love this Paillard Chicken Recipe

This French method of preparing chicken is one of my absolute favorites! Here’s why I love it so much:

  • Quick & Easy: This easy chicken paillard recipe can be cooked in 30 minutes! It’s a great dish for busy weeknights when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
  • One-Pan Meal: If you hate washing dishes, then this recipe is your best friend! Everything in this recipe is cooked in one large skillet for your convenience.
  • Healthy & Delicious: Not only does this light and zesty chicken taste good, but it’s healthy too! This low-calorie meal will leave you fully satisfied.

What other meat can I paillard?

You can paillard virtually any meat, including pork, veal, or beef!

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken paillard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend storing the chicken and salad separately. Reheat the chicken in 30-second increments in the microwave until warmed through.

How to Freeze

While the chicken breasts freeze well, I do not recommend freezing the salad. Freeze the chicken breasts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What is chicken paillard?

“Paillard” (pronounced pai-aar) is French for a boneless piece of meat that has been pounded thin. Chicken paillard simply refers to thinly pounded chicken, which can be prepared virtually any way you like. In this recipe, we marinate it in a zesty sauce, pan fry it, and serve it with a tasty arugula salad.

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Chicken Paillard Recipe

This classic chicken paillard recipe is the perfect pick-me-up after a long day. Crispy chicken is served with a beautiful salad, making it a healthy dinner that is ridiculously easy to prepare!

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Marinade Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

  • 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste
  • cup dry white wine
  • 1 lemon juiced, zested, and divided
  • 1 shallot chopped
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 cloves
  • 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 4 cups trimmed arugula or salad greens
  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 handful basil or parsley chopped (optional)
  • Lemon wedges optional, for serving

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet

  • Instant-Read Thermometer

Instructions

  • Butterfly each chicken breast, then pound each to ¼-inch thickness using a meat tenderizer or heavy pan. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper and set them aside.

    4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • In a plastic Ziplock bag or large bowl, combine the wine (or broth), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon zest, shallot, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic. Add the chicken and massage the marinade around the meat, sealing the bag (or covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

    ⅓ cup dry white wine, 1 lemon, 1 shallot, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic

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  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade and add them to the hot oil in the skillet in a single layer.

  • Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook another 2-4 minutes on the other side until fully cooked to 165°F internally. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and repeat with any other pieces.

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  • While the chicken is cooking, whisk the remaining lemon juice and zest, remaining olive oil, mustard, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl until emulsified. Place the salad greens, tomatoes, and basil (if using) in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over, tossing to combine. Serve with the cooked chicken

    2 tablespoons grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 4 cups trimmed arugula or salad greens, 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, 1 handful basil or parsley, Lemon wedges

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Notes

  • You can paillard virtually any meat, including pork, veal, or beef!
  • In place of the white wine, you can use an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth!
  • In place of fresh garlic, use ½ teaspoon granulated.
  • You can use any mustard you like in the dressing!
  • You can use balsamic, white wine, or sherry vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar.
  • Feel free to use your favorite salad greens, and add any vegetables you love!
  • If your chicken breasts are exceptionally large (12 ounces or larger each), you can use 2 chicken breasts and split them in half horizontally.
  • I recommend placing the chicken breasts in a Ziplock bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap before pounding to minimize the mess.
  • Be sure the chicken breasts are all of equal thickness; this will ensure they cook evenly.
  • Let the pan heat up thoroughly before adding the chicken to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan.
  • Wait to flip the chicken breasts until they naturally release from the pan; otherwise, they may break into pieces.
  • Use an instant-read meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature; once the chicken is 165°F, it is finished cooking.

Storage:Store chicken paillard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer (without the salad) for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Paillard Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 329Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 14g

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 373mg16%

Potassium 682mg19%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 819IU16%

Vitamin C 23mg28%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Dinner

Cuisine:French

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at@easychickenrecipesfor a chance to be featured.

How to make Chicken Paillard Step by Step

Prepare the chicken and marinade:Butterfly all 4 chicken breasts and pound them to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and set aside. Make the marinade by combining 1/3 cup white wine, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp zest, 1 shallot, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp minced garlic in a bowl or zip-top bag.

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Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken to the marinade. Massage the marinade all around the meat. Seal the bag or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

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Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches to cook all of the chicken.

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Make the salad: Make the dressing first by combining the remaining lemon juice and zest, remaining olive oil, 2 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Place 4 cups arugula, 8oz cherry tomatoes and 1 handful of basil into a bowl. Toss everything together with the dressing. Serve with the cooked chicken.

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Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.

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Chicken Paillard Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken paillard made of? ›

Chef notes

Everyone loves a good paillard, which is just a fancy French term for a piece of meat (usually chicken or veal) that has been pounded thin and cooked quickly. It's the thin, even pounding that makes the meat tender and so luxurious to eat. (You can also ask your butcher to do it for you.)

What is the secret to moist chicken? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

What is the difference between chicken Milanese and chicken Paillard? ›

Paillard is simply flat pounded chicken. Oh – Chicken Milanese. I begin by slicing my chicken lengthwise. Sometimes in thirds before I pound it.

What is Chinese chicken on a stick made of? ›

Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick are brown or red colored chicken thighs found in Chinese-American restaurants and takeout. The chicken is marinaded overnight in a special blend of spices and sauces then oven baked, after which they are then fried.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

Why do people put mayo on chicken before cooking? ›

The mayo will lock in moisture and will improve the browning on the grill, leaving you with delicious, charred grill marks that will take your chicken to the next level. Once you try this mayo marinade you won't grill chicken without it again.

What is the best cooking method to keep chicken moist? ›

Sear and Bake

For chicken breast that's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, employ the sear-and-bake method. Brown the outside of the meat on a pan then finish it off in the oven.

What does Paillard mean in English? ›

Meaning of paillard in English

a dish in which a piece of meat is hit or pressed to make it thin and flat before it is cooked : Slice the chicken breasts into steaks and flatten them into very thin paillards.

Where did chicken paillard come from? ›

Chicken Paillard is a dish that originated in France. The term “paillard” refers to a piece of meat that has been pounded thin and quickly cooked. It is a popular dish in French cuisine and has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well.

How do you flatten chicken paillard? ›

Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound out the chicken cutlets to an even thickness. At most, the paillard should be ½-inch thick, but can be as thin as ⅛ of an inch (that's the thickness of an iPhone charger or two quarters on top of each other, for reference).

What are the 5 steps for perfect chicken? ›

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. ...
  2. Remove the giblets. ...
  3. Pat the chicken dry. ...
  4. Rub the chicken with olive oil or butter. ...
  5. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. ...
  6. Place flavorings inside the chicken and truss (optional). ...
  7. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in the pan. ...
  8. Lower the heat to 400°F and roast for 60 minutes.

What is the best kind of chicken for beginners? ›

10 Best Backyard Chicken Breeds for Beginners: Chicken Care 101
  • Orpington. ...
  • Sussex. ...
  • Ameraucana. ...
  • Marans. ...
  • Cochin. ...
  • Brahma. ...
  • Silkie. If you're a beginner looking for a backyard chicken breed, look no further than the silkie! ...
  • Bantam. Bantam chickens are a popular breed for backyard chicken enthusiasts.
Dec 5, 2022

What is the easiest method of cooking a chicken? ›

You hardly need a recipe: just toss a mix of chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast for about a half an hour. No flipping, no fussing, no nothing — and you can pile everything on a serving tray without the bother of pulling out the carving board. So smart.

What is a Paillard? ›

Meaning of paillard in English

a dish in which a piece of meat is hit or pressed to make it thin and flat before it is cooked : Slice the chicken breasts into steaks and flatten them into very thin paillards.

What is chicken on a stick called at Chinese restaurant? ›

Introduction: Meat Onna Stick (aka. Chicken Teriyaki) By venecha Follow More. Just like most things that come out of our kitchen, this one was inspired by food we got from a local restaurant. One of the things we really like to get from our local Chinese takeout is their chicken and beef teriyaki on a stick.

What is Paillard in English? ›

: a piece of beef or veal usually pounded thin and grilled.

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